School-Based Morale Team Events
School-Based Morale Team Events
Glen McKay, Hood School Principal
Did you know that teacher morale has emerged as a critical factor influencing both staff retention and student outcomes? Research consistently shows that supportive school environments—characterized by strong collegial relationships and recognition of staff efforts—contribute to higher levels of job satisfaction and professional engagement (Dinham & Scott, 2000; Johnson, Kraft, & Papay, 2012). One strategy noted in the literature for fostering such environments is the implementation of school-based morale teams.
School-based morale teams are small, collaborative groups within a school, typically composed of teachers, administrators, and support staff, whose primary purpose is to promote positive school culture and enhance staff wellbeing. Evidence suggests that such teams have tangible benefits: schools that implement structured staff support initiatives, including morale-focused teams, report higher levels of teacher satisfaction, lower turnover rates, and stronger collaborative practices among faculty (Johnson et al., 2012). Additionally, these positive working conditions indirectly impact students, as motivated and supported teachers are better able to create engaging and effective learning environments.
At the J. Turner Hood School, we have our Sunshine Group, made up of dedicated staff who work together to foster a positive and inclusive school culture. Through thoughtful gestures and joyful events, they recognize, celebrate, and support one another all year long. This year, Mrs. Heffernan, Nurse Blanchette, Ms. Zimmerman, Ms. Aleksa, Ms. Valdez, Mrs. Danis, and Mrs. Daley have kept us engaged with a wide range of activities.
March is widely celebrated as National Reading Month in the United States to foster a love for reading in children and adults. To recognize this, our Sunshine Group created a fun new tradition. If you walk the halls of the J. Turner Hood School today, you will see that all classroom doors are decorated with each staff member’s favorite children’s story or author. The building has become a vibrant space that has sparked many rich discussions on various authors and texts. The main office, for example, is themed around Where the Wild Things Are, the renowned children’s picture book written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. The story follows a young boy named Max, who sails to an island of “Wild Things” after being sent to bed without supper. This initiative has brought both a lively aesthetic to the building and engaging literature discussions and lessons.
Our morale highlights this year have been just as fun! The Sunshine Group reinstated “Morale Pals,” creating moments of joy and connection among staff. Looking ahead, April brings our “April Showers Bring May Flowers” theme—encouraging staff to wear rain-ready and weather-inspired outfits. I am personally excited to see the creativity of our team in action.
The standout event so far has been “Anything But a Cup Day” in January. Teachers transformed the ordinary into hilarious by sipping their morning drinks from Mac & Cheese cups, Lysol wipe containers, Pringles cans, spray bottles, and even a gravy bowl. Students, with no prior knowledge of the plan, couldn’t stop laughing as they watched teachers balance, tip, and occasionally spill their beverages while trying to act normal. Roman Jacobs commented, “That was fun! I saw a trophy cup, Mrs. Arone had something crazy, and Mrs. Sherman had an American Girl bathtub. I thought it was funny, and the trophy brought me joy—I even borrowed a few from my dad, though I didn’t drink out of them. I would bring in the trophies if I could.”
